Why I Love My Library: Librarians Share!

“I love my library because, during the COVID shutdown, staff were reassigned to support food distribution in the community and at the closed library facilities. Laptops and WiFi hotspots were made available to those without access to digital resources and children services staff began recording storytime to promote early learning.”

~ Pat T.

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“I love my Laney College Library, because of the resources and support that we provide to our students, faculty, and staff. Our library strives to implement policies that create a welcoming environment to our campus community and the surrounding area. We recently reopened our physical library after being closed for over a year due to the pandemic and I was proud of how we all worked together to shift our services online and how we have continued to engage our patrons via social media and our online virtual reference chat.”
~ Dominique D.

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“As a high school teacher in New Orleans in the 60s, one of my most difficult experiences was telling my students to stay out of the neighborhood public library. My students were black and mostly from New Orleans' tough housing projects. After school, some would walk to the neighborhood public library to use references and do homework. The students came to me to complain that library staff asked them not to touch the books because they left black marks. I told the students to stay out of the library until a group of us adults could resolve the problem. No child should have to go to a public library to be insulted and belittled. Several black teachers from the high school demanded at library headquarters that the offending staff be removed and that black staff replace them. Students were now welcomed into the public library.”
~ Elaine A.

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“As a child growing up in Los Angeles, I hungered to read books by and about my people. The Baldwin Hills Branch of the L.A. Public Library was my go-to place where a plethora of books on or about African Americans were prominently featured. One day, I was pleasantly surprised to see a beautiful, confident African American librarian working at the branch. Her name was Moss Humphrey. She was my influence. I loved that library! I am a retired library administrator at Los Angeles Unified School District. Yes, libraries do change lives.”
~ Claudette M.

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“I loved the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Library at Los Angeles City College. Completed in 2008, it replaced a dull, old windowless building that was hard for students to navigate as they looked for materials for their assignments, and, it modernized our approach to collection development and provided e-resources that could be accessed remotely that have proven invaluable to Students, Faculty, Staff, and Administrators. Finally, students were able to study together in group study rooms and individually in carrells and at tables… in a 69,000 square foot building with floor to ceiling windows! It was a boon to support staff and to librarians to be able to provide great service in a great physical space. That's what school, academic, and public libraries do so well !”
~ Rosalind G

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“Recognize that libraries hold within their walls massive amounts of materials representing and revealing the SOULS of humanity - poets, artists, leaders, philosophers and thinkers. Young people with technological savvy may not yet comprehend the language of philosophy, history and tragedy. But, by way of new and advancing technology, they are acutely aware of political and social problems. The future belongs to the young and while forging ahead into the unknowns of The New Age, they need libraries.”
~ Binnie T. W.

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“I love my library because its resources educate, entertain, and provide limitless amounts of information. It is a place where you can escape in a book, use a computer, search for a job, do your homework, hear a story, and so much more. There is something for everyone at your library!”
~ Sharon J.

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“I love both the public library that I visit and the academic library in which I work because they both provide services that truly help people. We live in an information society, where information is powerful because it drives problem-solving, decision making, entertainment, and more. Our libraries give us tools that inform how we live and the decisions we make - and librarians are the conduits that help people find the most effective information.”
~ Stephanie S. B.

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“Theoretically, libraries are charged with the monumental responsibility of stewarding and making accessible our collective history and knowledge. CAAM's Research Library is committed to this goal. Our Library is open to the entire community, all of whom are invited to delve into the collections. CAAM's Research Library provides an opportunity for all to learn and grow, to develop a love of reading, and to enhance their appreciation of African American culture and our people's incredible achievements. That’s what we stand for. And we are privileged to do so.”
~ Denise McI.

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“I love my library because it’s responsive to our community’s needs. The San Diego Public Library has been offering some degree of in-person service, ranging from contact-free pick-up to outdoor computer labs and limited on-site services, since October 2020 and recently extended digital reach by lending WiFi hotspots.”
~ Alan B.

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“I work for two community college libraries--Berkeley City College Library and Laney College Library. I love that these libraries are welcoming for new college students. These libraries strive to be a safe place where students can seek help for a wide range of questions about the campus, classes, and general questions as well as questions about research and information. Library staff tend to have a great deal of empathy for students, instructors, staff, and human beings in general. The norm is to treat people with respect and concern. Helping, educating, connecting is what library staff does well.”
~ Linda J.

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“To sum it up.
Good things –
God trust and faith.
Family, friends, and good conversations
Bicycles, long and short rides on cool summer days
Libraries have quiet places and good books.”
~ Sandra B.